2nd Jury Deadlocks In Slaying Case

But Elgin Man, 27, Found Guilty In Another Shooting

August 31, 1997|By Robin Anne Roe. Special to the Tribune.

A second Kane County jury has failed to decide the guilt or innocence of a 27-year-old Elgin man accused of first-degree murder, but jurors did return a guilty verdict against him on two lesser charges in connection with another shooting in close proximity on the same day.

Lamont Thomas was on trial in part for the fatal shooting of Shawn Barrett in February 1996, but jurors were deadlocked Friday on the murder charge. They found Thomas guilty only of attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery with a firearm in the wounding of Fred Buckhana.

The state is planning a third try for a first-degree murder conviction against Thomas. A mistrial was also declared last August when a different jury deadlocked on that charge against him.

Prosecutors last week offered no motive in the shooting of Barrett, who lived in the same apartment complex as both Thomas and Buckhana. They alleged that Thomas shot Buckhana because Buckhana may have witnessed Barrett's slaying.

Barrett's relatives expressed disappointment with the verdict Friday. Elliant Barrett, his grandmother, questioned the "common sense" of jury members in finding Thomas guilty of shooting Buckhana but not her grandson.

Kane County Public Defender David Kliment maintained throughout four days of testimony before Circuit Judge Donald C. Hudson that Thomas was some 30 miles from the Times Square Apartments in Elgin when Barrett was slain and Buckhana shot. Two key defense witnesses testified they were with Thomas at a bowling alley in Melrose Park at the time.

Thomas did not take the stand.

But the jury found that Thomas was at the scene and attempted to kill the 30-year-old Buckhana, who still has a bullet embedded in his back from the shooting.

Buckhana told jurors he heard a single gunshot from behind him and then heard footsteps. He testified that Thomas appeared 2 feet away, pulled a revolver from his coat and aimed it at Buckhana's head.

"I asked him what he was doing," said Buckhana, who said he felt the first bullet graze the back of his head. "I ran. I ran to get away from him.

"The next bullet missed, but the third shot caught me in the back. The fourth shot missed. He fired again, but I heard the gun click. I knew the gun was empty."

When Elgin police arrived at the scene, they found a wounded Buckhana. Police later discovered the body of Barrett face down in the snow. He died of a single shot to the head.

Despite disappointment with the verdict, Elliant Barrett nevertheless expressed gratitude that the jury found Thomas guilty of the other two charges.

"They have the right to judge as they see fit, and I thank them for what they did judge," she said. "This part is over. . . . I'm taking the little crumb (as the Bible says), and I'm thankful."